World, meet the guy who ALMOST played Christian Grey

Everything you need to know (and some things you DEFINITELY didn't) about the British actor who ALMOST took on the almighty task of playing Christian Grey in the 50 Shades Of Grey movie adaptation… Before he quit.

Hunnam Fact 1

Despite the gravelly, all-American drawl he sports as his seriously lust-worthy character Jax Teller in FX drama series Sons Of Anarchy, Charles Matthew Hunnam is actually from Newcastle. Yep. He’s a Geordie.

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Hunnam Fact 2

Much like every actor from Newcastle who ever promenaded along the Tyne, he used to star in Byker Grove. His character’s name? Jason Chuckle. LOL. Even more LOL, he was “discovered” by the show’s producer on Christmas Eve while he was clowning around in a shoe shop.

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Hunnam Fact 3

He’s not just a pretty face. He really knows his craft. He’s got a whole degree in the theory and history of film, with a hearty side of performing arts to wash it all down with. OK, he did it in Cumbria. But still. Brains + Braun = Beaut.

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Hunnam Fact 4

Oh, he is a pretty face! So pretty, in fact, he was “The Face” of Emporio Armani’s ad campaign in 2005.

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Hunnam Fact 5

Charlie was born on April 10 1980, making him an Aries. As such, his personality is defined by “ambition, vigour and creativity,” which allows him to display a “special brand of charm and an enjoyable sense of humour.” Surely everything a would-be Christian Grey would need, right? Right.

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Hunnam Fact 6

Recognise him? Do you? That’s because you're staring at the man who used to play the boy in Queer As Folk, Nathan Maloney. He really did. Here’s the proof.

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Hunnam Fact 7

He’s used to playing nutters. Hunnam played the role of Patric, a psychotic member of The Fishes in Children Of Men, the role of equally psychotic home guard Bosie alongside Jude Law and Nicole Kidman in Cold Mountain, and the role of violent football hooligan (with a hilarious cockney accent), Pete Dunham in Green Street. And let’s face it. Christian Grey is definitely teetering on the edge of sanity.

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Hunnam Fact 8

Despite the aforementioned hilarity of his cockney accent in Green Street, it was this part that led to FX screen writer and producer Kurt Sutter to cast him in the role of Jackson “Jax” Teller in Sons Of Anarchy; the super-smooth lead boy of a hardened criminal biker gang in LA.

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Hunnam Fact 9

He once out-starred Anne Hathaway and Jamie Bell… As Nicholas Nickleby in Douglas McGrath’s 2002 adaptation of the Dickens series.

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Hunnam Fact 10

He met his first wife, Katharine Towne, auditioning for a role on Dawson’s Creek (yes way). The pair married in Las Vegas after dating for just four weeks, only to file for divorce in 2002.

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Hunnam Fact 11

Sadly, he is NOT on the market. He’s been officially “in a relationship” with jewellery designer Morgana McNelis since 2007. Wonder what she makes of his, ahem, “hands on” new job role.

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Hunnam Fact 12

He’s also a screenwriter. Most recently, Hunnam penned the script for Vlad, the Dracula-based vampire movie Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B Entertainment is set to produce. He’s also been beavering away penning another script on the life of American drug lord Edgar Valdez. "It's an exploration of the death of the American dream. That's what I'm interested in," he told British GQ.

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Hunnam Fact 13

Apparently, he hasn’t eaten pork in 25 years. No idea why.

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Hunnam Fact 14

He looks as good on a motorbike as he does in a space suit. Take his role as Raleigh Becket in the badly titled but brilliantly made Pacific Rim, for example. Fit. Fit. Fitter still. And we’re pretty sure he’s going to look equally as good in a Christian Grey tuxe, too. Too bad he'll never wear one.